One other - Chapter 1 -
by kyokasha
Summary: Vash and Knives weren't the only ones to be of their race. Nor were they the only ones to be unchanging over so many years. There was one other who came after them, but she was never allowed to speak to them, unless they called out to her first, but why? The story is somewhat set to fit in-between times, as well as after the anime series ends.
1. Chapter 1

**One Other**

Sand storms came, and sand storms went. The turning of the winds made it hard to see if you were without some kind of eye wear...

"Looks like another sand storm is coming..." The female sighed, and pushed a pair of dark sunglasses up on her nose. Sunglasses large enough to cover her eyes fully, and seemed more like goggles than just an accessory. She did it often, having to push them up. But she needed to do it, to keep her eyes from the suns' burning light. When was the last time she didn't need these little things? None the less, they once more were pushed up and adjusted to fit and cover her eyes, as her footprints shimmered away from the harsh wind that had began to pick up, as before effects to the sand storm.

A small town laid just ahead of her, and she took no other route then to go straight through, and stop for the time being; in hopes that either she would have to wait for the storm to pass, or for it to direct it's self away from the town all together. Her body clothed in what looked to be some ragged old cloth. Something only a beggar would call comfort, in a way. Dirty covered it as well as old stains and holes. But although it was unpleasant to see, it served it's purpose in covering her person from the neck down to her mid calves. From there down, a pair of black combat boots could be seen with buckles and straps all along the tongue of the two shoes. The cloak that covered her acted more like a poncho then anything. As holes for arms did not exist and it simply had been wrapped around her and then pinned closed from the inside, most likely.

Dark brown hair whipped against her shoulder as the wind became it's designer. It had been pulled into a low ponytail in hopes that it wouldn't cause as many lashings, but when hair reached down to the low of your back, it was a bit harder to avoid. The shorter pieces of hair that curtained around her face did nothing but get in her eye's gaze and mouth, and she occasionally would push it back behind her ears, as she walked. Her hands showed that one hand a glove that reached just to her elbow: the right one. Where as the left showed a shorter, fingerless glove; it only going to her wrist as bandages went up the rest and disappeared into the cloak. It would be no doubt that the skin under those bandages wouldn't match the rest of her complexion: showing much sun had been seen in her days, but left no tan lines from her sunglasses.

Stepping foot into a small bar, she found herself now able to pull her sunglasses off and then hidden under her cloak. She hadn't seen many while coming into the town, but that made it all only easier in avoiding strayed eyes. But those of a bar could not be avoided as easily as she took a seat at the far end of one side to the counter. Her person going unattended for a moment as the bar tender then assisted to her. It wasn't often, it seemed, that a woman came in and sat at the counter.

"What can I get ya, miss?"

"Anything that doesn't have alcohol." she muttered to him; her eyes slowly looking up to reveal that they were a light green color. Small specks showed darker color, but others showed that they been, perhaps, deluded somehow.

"That makes things a bit tricky, as you can see, this here is a bar." he chuckled lightly, "But I'll see what I can come up with." he smiled with a wink; turning his person away from her.

At the other end of the counter, a man bellowed out in laughter, as the color of his coat showed on his face with drunkenness. His hand holding a bottle, showing that he was still in the process of drinking, but his humor only seemed to be amusing himself; while others seemed to pull themselves away in a bit of concern. The female's attention only turned after she heard him call out:

"Hey misssster...! Can I get another bottle..?" he chuckled as he asked.

"Sorry, but I'm afraid you have had a bit too many drinks for so early in the day.. But come back tonight and I'd be happy to get you a few more." The bartender was, indeed, a patient man as he turned away from the drunken.

A slight gasp came from her lips as she looked up and over; she knew that voice. Her green eyes widened as she gazed over the drunk man. He was dressed in a red, long coat. Blonde hair styled upward and his eyes... matching hers. A light and pleased smile came to the female's lips, as if relieved. "I finally found you again..." she mumbled. But she made no actions as to move, as she looked down to her right leg, and put a hand on where her thigh would be.

As if, he had taken it as a calling, the male looked over, and then staggered over to her, sitting in the stool just next to hers.

"Hey there pretttyyy misssss..." he smiled childishly.

"I've never ssssen your facccee around her before... Wanna.. get to know each other more?" he hiccuped, but held his smile and bottle.

As if in shock, she said nothing, as a look of "_he's talking to me?_" covered her face. But she quickly turned her face away and cleared her throat, as the bartender set down a small glass that was only half filled.

"It ain't much, but its the most I can give ya, miss." he nodded and turned away. Giving her just enough time to look at it and then take it in her right hand slowly, but her words directed towards the drunk.

"Actually... we should." she spoke without looking at him, as she brought the glass to her lips and drank slowly.

"R-really...?" he questioned with surprise.

"Yup." she replied and set the, now empty, glass down.

"But I would prefer if it wasn't here in a bar." she added in, and set down a small piece of currency next to the glass, and stood up.

"Mind if we leave now?" her eyes only glanced to him for a moment and then were covered as she placed her sunglasses back on.

"y-ya!" he stumbled and stood up; he too leaving payment on the counter as he locked arms with the female and used her to help stable him in standing.

"Ssssooo..! what's your name, pretty miss?"

"Kyo... You can call me Kyo." she smiled, as she gave a smile as if she was satisfied with just that much.

"And I already know who you are... Vash." she looked up with a straight face as the two now stood just outside the bar.

"I've known you since before you landed on this planet... I know you both." she said softly as her 'both' refereed to him and his brother.

The male's eyes narrowed, and his eyebrows knitted together, as if he were to say something with seriousness, but only ended with him turning and throwing up...


	2. Chapter 2

**One Other - Chapter 2 -**

Things had not seemed to start off on a good taste, with Vash throwing up and all, and then to pass out, it made the afternoon seem a bit longer than planned. But as if like a stray dog, Kyo didn't leave his side, and used a shoulder to move him to the side of the building to lean against it in the shade. She too leaned against the building, but only for a moment before she stood up again and looked about.

The tattered cloak clung to her slightly from the stale air, as the winds had showed to have pity on her and go another way. Giving her the chance to finally fix her hair, as she used only her fingers to comb threw it, and fix it. Anything to help pass the time as she would have to wait for Vash to awaken from his hangover. But signs of life came from him quicker than she had thought as he let out a groan and sat up.

"Ooooohhhhh-oooowwwww my heeeaaaddd..." he grumbled, rubbing the side of his head as she leaned forward, and slowly opened his eyes to look around.

"You're awake, already?"

Vash looked up with a slightly dramatic looking confusion painted on his face.

"Your still here?" he looked around, "where am I? How long was I out?" he rambled and pushed himself to his feet as he dusted himself off in the process.

"You're just on the outside wall of the bar, after you passed out. It's only been about an hour, I think." she looked towards one of the suns in hopes to try and calculate a bit better, but then looked back to him.

With a long pause, the male snapped his fingers and then turned to the female with a strict gaze:

"How do you know that name?" he asked, without admitting that it was his, indeed.

"You look the same as you always did."She responded calmly and looked around them. A sense of slight nervousness in her actions as she seemed to be on a caution and aloof like attitude.

"There's a lot you never knew, and I was never allowed to share it with you..." she slowly turned to face him and gave a wide smile. "But now I can, now that YOU have called out to ME."

**-****F****lashback-**

"Why can't I go out and meet them, though?" asked a small brown haired child. She looked out a small grate of what was a one way window; a lush green meadow just on the other side where two boys and a woman sat. A male dressed as though he were a doctor stood behind her.

"Because, Kyo, those two can't know that you exist."

"But... why?"

"Because," his expression grew dark, "Those two are not human, and might try to overthrow us if they meet you."

"Why?"

"You are a girl, and they are boys. You are never allowed to speak with them, or meet them, is that understood?"

"what if they meet me?"

"They won't."

But what if-"

"No!" he barked at her, with annoyance to her prolonging questions, but he soon calmed himself with a deep exhale.

"You can't meet them. You are too valuable to be introduced to those two... _things_. You will remain in here, understood?"

With her head dropped down, and a tone of sorrow, she replied: "Yes, sir..." The male grinned, and patted her shoulder before he turned to leave what was to be a small green house. Her only contact to the outside was that one little grated window; where two boys and a woman seemed to be smiling and enjoying the green lush grass.

"I just wanna play, too..." she whined, and sat down, pulling her knees to her chest as large plants around her were to be her decoration, by force.

The two stood at the entrance of a small wooden door, the lead into a building that read "_Motel_" just above the door. A state of awkwardness stuck up the air, as the female looked to the ground and the male looked up, rubbing the back of his head.

"Uh... well, this is my stop I guess." he laughed, nervously. "Sorry about all that-"

"Don't you want to know?"

"Hm? Know what?"

"Who I am, towards you?"

"Well..." he looked away once more, anywhere but her, in fact. "It's not my business to know, but it's up to you if you want to share. But until then, I think I'm gonna get some sleep." he grinned, and turned to walk in, as he gave a peace sign towards her.

"..."

((End flashback))

Vash gave a slight hesitation before shutting the door, but then looked away. Leaving the female to stand just on the opposite side.

"Ok... But I'm not gonna leave just yet. I waited years for this." she formed her hands into fists, and turned away from the door... But only to find herself stumbling back as she found herself being bumped into.

"Ooof!" she muttered, her sunglasses falling off, and her eyes instantly closed as she began to act like a blind person. Falling to her knees as she fumbled around looking for her sunglasses.

"Sorry about that miss!" a cheery voice called, and held Kyo's sunglasses out in front of her.

"Thank you..." The blind acted woman said, and shoved her sunglasses back on over her eyes, and looked up to meet the figure of two people...

"Hi there!" The cheery woman spoke again, waving a hand and smiling, as Kyo rose back to her feet.

"My name is Milly, and this is my boss Meryl! We're new in town!" she grinned.

"Milly..! You cant just go around telling everyone that...!"

"But boss! She looks nice, and it's good to make friends, right?"

Meryl sighed and folded her arms, with a slight expression towards a pout, as she had nothing more to say on the matter. But it soon brushed away as she turned to Kyo.

"I'm sorry that we weren't watching where we were going. We had our eyes up on the sign." the shorter woman said, and pointed up to the lite up sign that read "_Motel_".

"We are looking for someone!" Milly giggled, as the much taller woman adjusted something that was on her back

"O-oh..." Kyo responded, trying to seem at least somewhat polite, as she dusted herself off, "Well.. who are you looking for?"

"We're looking for-"

"Shhh!" Meryl interrupted, placing a hand over her companion's mouth, and then nervously laughed towards Kyo.

"Ehehehe... We're not looking for anyone...!"

"But boss...!"

"Shhh!" The short woman hushed again, and turned Milly away from Kyo to speak: "We cant just go around saying his name...! People might get suspicious! And if he were to hear his own name, he might take off again!"

"Oh right, right!" Milly smiled, putting a finger to her lips as the two turned back to Kyo.

"We're uh... just looking for an old friend...! No one in particular."

"Yup! An old friend!"

"Uh-huh..." Kyo muttered, looking the two up and down for a moment. "Well, I better let you two go-" she started to speak, before she then winced, holding onto her side.

"Miss! Are you ok?" Exclaimed Milly, as she made a gesture to help the homeless looking stranger.

"N-no I'm fine." she forced a smile, and pushed herself to stand up right again, holding in her breath.

"Boss..." She looked over to her companion with puppy dog like eyes. "We can't just leave her if she is hurt..."

"No really, I said I'm-"

"Oh fine, we will help her."

"Hooray!" she joyed, and then put an arm around Kyo as Milly directed the brown haired woman into the motel.

"But I really am ok...!"


	3. Chapter 3

**One Other - Chapter 3 -**

"Oh wow! Look at all these scars on her, boss!" Gasped the tall woman, who held the torn and dirty cloak. Piece of sand falling from the folds of the old piece of cloth, as Kyo sat on the floor in front of her; her back turned to them.

"Milly! It's not nice to point scars out!"

"It's ok" Kyo laughed, raising a hand as if to stop her with it. She held a slight smile, as if to assure them that she was ok, and not bothered by the pointing out of her scars.

"They look like _that's man's!_ There are so many!" giggled Milly, as she set the cloak down and picked up a cotton ball.

"Alright miss Kyo! Now you'll have to take off that shirt so we can treat that cut on your side..!"

Milly took her own seat behind Kyo. A cheery smile on her face with a tune in her words, as Meryl sat at the table within their main room, that they had booked for the night. Paperwork seemed to occupy most of her attention as she let Milly attend to the patient. Two beds pushed to one wall, with a table between them, as a small table with two chairs was to the opposite corner of the door. A small bathroom was connected, but the door had been closed for the time being. Kyo's location was seated just below one of the chairs to the table, facing towards the bed. A large window was the only source of light for the room during the day, and it was just above the night stand between the beds.

A light sigh came from Kyo's lips as she slowly pulled her black tank top off of her body. A black bra still left on, for covering on her top half, as her bottom remained covered by a pair of baggy desert colored camo pants. Tucking into her combat boots, as a single holster for a gun hung from her right hip; a loose belt of bullets, decorated more like an accessory, hung loosely around her hips, as it did nothing to hold the pants up, A single piece of rope was to be her official belt. Her arms remained to keep the bandages up to her elbow on her left, and a long glove with buckles and straps on her right. Her hair had been pushed over her shoulder, as she looked down for a moment with her tank top in her hands.

Milly gasped, dropping the cotton ball, but then gained composure from the sight of the female's back. Scars decorated like tinsel on a Christmas tree were to be her visual stories and reminders. But those weren't what made Milly gasp... The center of her back, just between her shoulder blades, showed a very strange design of a tattoo.

"What a... different looking tattoo...!" she tried to sound positive.

"Ya... '_different'_..." was all Kyo mumbled, and kept her eyes down for a moment. The tattoo on her back a very vibrant red colored, fully blossomed, Geranium flower in the center. Two initials bordered it. The left the letter "K.", the right "V.".

"Can I ask as to what the initials stand for?"

Kyo stayed silent for a moment, but then took a deep and slow breath: "They stand for two different names..."

"O-oh...!" Milly stated, looking towards Meryl, in hopes the busy woman would look up, but seemed to be absorbed in her own papers. The statue like woman looked back down to Kyo's back, and picked up a new cotton ball as she began to attend to some of the cuts that were on her back, and down her left side.

"This tattoo looks new, did you just get it?"

"No... It hasn't faded because I've kept it covered from the sun."

"But even still, don't they fade as you get older?"

"With some people they do..." Kyo ended the conversation, leaving them to sit in silence with the sound of writing in the background.

After some time, Milly put down her instruments and clasped her hands on her thighs.

"There! All done!" she grinned, ever so happily.

"Thanks..." Kyo nodded her head, and stood up. She took a moment to feel her left side as a thin layer of bandages covered it. The smaller wounds on her back had not seemed to be in need of anything dramatic like bandages, and only been cleaned up. And with the silence still lurking about, it was then shattered.

The front door flung open as the same man Kyo had met earlier stepped in with gusto. A smile on his face as well, as he looked from the bed directly in front of him, to his right. He gasped and, with much animation in his movements, threw his hands up in surprise, as he caught sight of a female without a shirt on. Desire filling his eyes and a joyful smile creep-ed his face, that is, until he saw the face of the female it belonged to.

Meryl's attention went upward to the opening of the door, as did the other two females. But the short haired woman was to be the one with annoyance in it:

"YOU!" She yelled, and pointed at him, as she pushed herself away from the table and stomped over towards him.

"You know how much trouble you are causing us!? You just ran off, AGAIN!" With the attention directed away from Kyo, she was able to back up and throw on not only her tank top, but was quick to move behind Milly. Whispering lightly to the tall woman: "Please don't say anything about my tattoo to that man... please...!"

"But-" Milly started, but her attention turned back to the blonde haired male and her boss, as one scolded the other, like a teacher to a student.

"Do you know how much paperwork you caused me?! You just took off!"

"Ehehehe...! I', sorry I'm sorry!" he begged with a cheekish like chuckle. "I had business to take care of!"

"You say that every time!" grumbled Meryl, before she then stepped back and took a deep breath to calm herself down.

"Milly...!"

"Yes, boss?"

"Do you have the papers?"

"Oh!" she started, and began to feel herself for the papers, but came up empty handed,

"Well?" Meryl looked back, but then dropped her head with a loud groan.

"Uuuggghhhh"

"I didn't know we were going to need them... sorry Boss."

"No. It's alright... I should of made sure we had them before we left..." she whined, and returned back to her table and sat down, putting her head down, in defeat.

"Hi again..." peeped up Kyo from behind Milly as she stepped out, after adjusting her clothing and moving her hair to cover her back's center once more.

"Hey! It's you again...!" he grinned, with a sparkle in his eye. It was almost as if his attitude towards Kyo had shifted with the new knowledge of her body shape.

"I see you just can't resist being away from me." He boasted, and posed as if to look charming and wanting; a sparkle in his eye.

"Well, I admit that I don't want to lose track of you." she shrugged, and shifted her weight, turning slightly to hide her gun.

"Then perhaps I should do you an honor and escort you?" he gave a twisted smile, but only to be knocked back as a washing tin came flying at his head.

"Will you stop that!?" Yelled Meryl from her table's seat.

Milly giggled, and turned to face Kyo,

"Kyo, this is our friend: Vash...!" She gestured a hand towards him.

"Yo." he winked, with a peace sign.

"I know."

"You do? But how do you know_ him?_ He doesn't tell anyone what his name is."

"I've known him for years..." Kyo's eyes went up to Vash with gentleness and wonder, as Milly's would follow to look at him, but her to look more puzzled by the intense emotion in Kyo's words.

"We're from the same place..."

Both Mill and Vash's eyes looked towards Kyo, with a questionable expression.

"Same place?" Milly repeated.


	4. Chapter 4

One Other - Chapter 4 -

The night came, and so did the next, without anyone to move or even check out. The weather had gone sour, for anyone to try and leave, as a sandstorm grew larger by the day. The owners of the motel, had cautioned that none were to go out, directed from officials that lived in the town. The female, Kyo, had found herself being taken in by Meryl and Milly. The larger woman taking the notion of insisting that Kyo were to stay with them, rather then get her own room.

With a long pause and sigh, the dark haired woman agreed to remain, but refused to share a bed with anyone, as she kept herself to sleep in a chair, that had been requested from another room. The friend of the two partner women, refused to have Vash take her into his room. A sour taste left in Meryl mouth with just the idea of it; a light chuckle left in Kyo's at the amusement.

By the third day of being forced to remain indoors, The three females had began to grow a bit more comfortable with each other. Kyo didn't share much about herself, but Milly seemed to talk to make up for everyone. But during the day, paperwork kept the room silent, as Kyo had found herself mostly meditating at the end of the hall. The motel occupied by them, Vash, and two other guests who were never seen. She would sit for hours with her eyes closed, and in middle of nights she would go out to repeat, so she told the two co-workers.

Upon the third night, they had not really ever seen or heard much from their happy-go-lucky neighbor: Vash, but something made him change a routine, as he poked his head out into the hall, upon hearing the sound of Kyo leaving the room. Her feet taking her the opposite direction of Vash's room, as she headed to a side door that lead outside. Her feet walked with crystal silence, to the door, as she then slipped out into the sand storm. Her ragged old cloak upon her once more, and her sunglasses pushed firmly to her face.

"Hm? And where would she be going...?" Vash questioned, rubbing his chin. He took it upon himself to investigate, as he would swear that it was to make sure she was alright, if anyone asked. But something else was playing at his mind... Kyo had seemed to know who he was a lot more than anyone else around, and yet he still knew nothing about her. Why did Kyo know about him so well, and to even say that she was from the same place? He never was able to talk with her one-on-one. Milly seemed to be near Kyo, if Meryl wasn't. Like they refused to let Kyo remain alone, except when she was to meditate in the hall. But as Vash caught sight of watching the dark haired maiden walk out like it was a normal thing... perhaps she wasn't meditating as often as the other two females thought.

Vash had found himself matching with her steps, to leave, and as if to pass threw the door like it was not there, he copied her with the stealth. The sounds of the outside roaring never seemed to make any others stir to look out. Thinking that it was perhaps a loose window. No one would ever know that two dared to go out into the sandstorm...

Looking about, Kyo kept her hood pulled over her head, and her glasses pushed to her face. The storm's wrath subsided more during the night, for some reason. And allowed one to move about without fear of losing balance. She kept her feet planted firm as she made her way towards the largest buildings around: The plant. She never seemed to take notice to her shadow that followed from a far off distance. His gun ready at his side as he crept after her. The female walking as though there was no concern for anything... Until she was at the doors to the plant.

She looked to her left and right, when standing at the plant, before she then shimmy something out of her pocket from under her cloak, and have a result of the door opening. But she made no hints to locking it behind her as she slipped inside, closing the door. The hallway inside twisting around in a curve like manner, as a set of double doors laid at one end: the main room. Security didn't seem to be too strict, but then again, who would go out during a sandstorm like this one? Her footsteps echoed while she walked down the hall, and then to slip past the other doors into a large room where a single light bulb looking fixture sat.

"I'm back." she spoke softly with a slight smile as she pulled her hood off. She began to strip off the cloak, as her black tank top had been replaced by a tight fitted, black t-shirt; it's sleeves cutting just a few inches above her elbow. One of her hands came to the surface of the plant as she smiled gently. "I came back to finish the story, is that ok?" she chuckled, as if it were a rhetorical question to ask. Knowing that she would be resuming in what seemed to be a story telling.

"Ok..." she started, taking a seat, with her legs crossed as she pushed her sunglasses up on top of her head as she leaned forward closer to the glass edge, and began to speak in story form...

Vash had never seemed to be able to figure out just what she was doing, until he caught sight of seeing the female conduct herself in story telling. Her words too faint for him to make out, from such a distance. But he wanted to know... he had to know. No one talked to the plants, no one. Why did she respond to them as if... as if she knew they were living, and could feel and hear?

His desire to know was firm, as he then pushed the door open casually, and went in. He no longer saw a point in trying to be sneaky, there would be no way that she wouldn't see him, nor anywhere for him to hide. But he only did so after so long of her mumbles to the foggy coated bulb.

"Ok..." he began, his hand ready to draw his gun on her, if anything were to switch on him. A determined and serious expression on his face as she narrowed his eyes towards Kyo, as she walked with caution towards her.

"What are you doing here in this plant...?" he asked,, stepping closer towards her.

"I could be asking you the same question." she responded, looking slowly away from the plant and towards Vash as she rose up to her feet, "I'll finish in just a sec'. "she spoke to the bulb, gliding her fingertips on it for a moment. Her attention shifting back towards Vash, as she kept a calm look upon her face.

"I asked you first." he pointed out,

"Fine... I'm here, to tell a story." she said, gesturing a hand upward to the plant, and the lowering it back to her side. She too had a gun at her side, but unlike Vash, her own was not ready to be drawn out.

"But why...? Why would you share a story?"

"Because.. They get lonely and like to hear them." She stepped forward towards the male, as a light smile began to come to her lips. And for some reason, made Vash seem to feel trust towards her; and his hand moved away from his gun, as he walked forward to meet her, until they were arms length apart. He easily towered over her, as she looked up.

"Would you like to know part of the story?" she asked gently.

He nodded, and closed his eyes, as a calm feeling seemed to fill the room from the plant.

"Ok..." she began and reached her hands up, placing them on the side's of his face carefully.

"Once upon a time, Vash, I was trapped in a world alone. Never allowed to speak to those closest to me, unless they called me out first... One called out to me sooner than the other, and then eventually the other called me out as well. But never did the second know that I had often been around to watch."

Vash's hands came up, placing his own on top of hers; his eyes remaining shut.

"Never was I related to these two, but I was the closest to them, than any one else. My own kind, and yet, never directly related."

The tall male. Opened his eyes looking down at the female. His own green eyes meeting hers that seemed to have once matched hers, perhaps. But now looked faded and burned.

"Who are you...?"

"I am the same species as you and your brother, Vash... I was born the same way you two were."

As if a bit taken back, Vash pulled her hands off of his face, and looked down at her.

"The plants may be _YOUR_ sisters... but they are mine as well, in a way. I am tied to them, as much as you are... "She paused for a long moment, looking up at him, with eyes filled with mystery with slight tints of wonder.

"My name was lost with the crash, and I took on the name 'Kyo' later. Can you help me to find it?" she asked, as her eyes shifted to fill with plead.


End file.
